


M66/ROUND

by zanthe



Series: Mechanics [3]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24466651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanthe/pseuds/zanthe
Summary: Created as a prototype in a line of personally helpful Mechon, M66/ROUND was a bit of an oddball.
Series: Mechanics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767211
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	M66/ROUND

M66/ROUND was a curious little Mechon. It was made to be a prototype, created from lower quality metals and possessing a tan color, mixed with the typical gold Mechon were adorned with. Its eyes were bright red, and it had little mechanical feet to reflect its bird-like appearance. 

Shulk had decided to give it a voice, unlike other Mechon. It was capable of chirps and mechanical squabbles, odd little noises, as well as the occasional imitation of things it heard. 

While Shulk was in charge of its overall design and function, Egil was the one behind its programming. With no real time constraints, and plenty to work with from Shulk’s instructions, Egil was able to work out an interesting AI for the M66. It was capable of learning through observation, and using the information it learned, though it was limited to simple things. Its purpose was simply to help with trivial tasks, mostly to remind those bonded to it to take care of themselves, but its observational AI allowed it to recognize behavioral patterns as well, and offer help towards emotional management. 

Simply put, it was quite the cuddly Mechon, and one would mistake it for a living creature when it learned that simply being on Shulk’s lap made the Homs happy and calm, and often it would do everything in its power to ensure it was there whenever he sat down. It learned that making certain noises while Shulk spoke prompted him to talk more, and vent out his emotions. It learned that pestering him enough was a surefire way to get him to leave his work and go to bed, or pry him away to go eat.

Unfortunately, it also learned to pester others whenever it noticed Shulk growing tired or uneasy. Being programmed to be fine-tuned to a specific person’s emotions made the Mechon fiercely loyal. A surprise from Reyn ended in him being chased out by a screeching M66/ROUND when he had successfully startled the hell out of Shulk. Guests visiting when the man was tired led to them being shooed away by a bickering Mechon. It had no offensive capabilities, of course, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t make use of a blunt beak and little claws, or simply headbutt people. 

That was an issue to fix with future models, but it didn’t take awfully long to train the Mechon to stop harassing others. Shulk declined Egil’s offer to fix the prototype M66, declaring the oddball machine as “already perfect,” in his eyes. It would sit chirping curiously at him as he puzzled over design improvements for future models, or perched on his head when he went out for air, as it was too large to sit on his shoulder. 

Sometimes, Shulk could swear the thing had become truly alive by some means, half-convinced maybe Alvis had graced it with the spark of life, though Alvis denied it when asked. It was simply a machine with a particularly convincing AI, one future models would lack, cementing little M66/ROUND as truly one of a kind. 


End file.
